203: Chapter 0203 Two Words

"Stop messing around. If the White Kings Army wins, it's naturally disadvantageous for us, but the Yan Kings Army must not win either!"

"Why?" Mu Wanying asked, sounding puzzled.

Lin Xiao's eyes held a playful glint. "If Prince Bai wins, it's nothing more than expansion, swallowing up the Yan King's Tai Prefecture."

"But if the Yan King wins and E Prefecture falls, how am I supposed to take E Prefecture?"

"Do you expect me to fight the Silver Armor Army of Prince Bai while simultaneously dealing with the Cold Iron Guard of the Yan King?"

"The Yan King's subordinates include Brother Zhao's kin; that would complicate matters significantly..."

The two women froze in place. Thinking about that scenario, it was indeed far too disadvantageous!

If they weren't careful, it could even cause rifts within the Zhenbei Army!

"Then, Husband, who are you going to help on this trip?" Mu Wanying asked curiously.

"I'm not helping anyone!"

Leng Bingyan suddenly realized. "Husband, do you intend to let them fight like two tigers, so you can reap the rewards as the fisherman?"

Lin Xiao smiled appreciatively and pulled the two women into his embrace.

"These kinds of things can only be discussed among family. If Brother Zhao heard this, he would be heartbroken, understand?"

The two women nodded with helpless smiles. Although they felt Lin Xiao was quite "wicked," there was no other way; in chaotic times, good guys don't live long.

Thinking about it, General Zhao Kuan could probably guess some of this, but he was powerless to change it and could only resign himself to fate.

Time was tight, and Lin Xiao didn't have time to transfer funds to the two women, so it would have to be owed for now.

That evening.

Lin Xiao set off alone, his fast horse galloping through the snow, heading straight from Huanglong Prefecture to E Prefecture!

The next day.

Yong Province, Bai Princes Mansion.

In the bedroom, Prince Bai was draped in a robe, playing chess with a refined, bearded scholar.

"Your Highness, your medicine is here."

Liao Meier walked in carrying a bowl of potent medicinal soup and said softly.

"You drink it for me," Prince Bai said indifferently.

Liao Meier had expected this. "As you command."

She gave a bitter smile in her heart. Rumors outside claimed that Prince Bai was dying and drinking medicine daily to prolong his life.

Yet little did they know, all these precious medicinal herbs and rare treasures ended up in her stomach.

Prince Bai had been so angry that day he spat blood, but after resting for two days, he was completely fine.

He was simply using this opportunity to feign illness and stay hidden, showing weakness to lure his enemies into making mistakes.

"Mister Chen, if I'm not mistaken, you have already lost this game, haven't you?"

The scholar stroked his beard. "Your Highness's chess skills have improved significantly. What a fine move to lure the enemy into the trap; my dragon is indeed dead."

"Haha... Mister Chen, this dragon of yours is just like the current Yan Kings Army. I only revealed a tiny flaw, and they dove right in."

Prince Bai said triumphantly, "It's a pity... you all underestimated my strength."

The scholar nodded. "Your Highness's layout this time is indeed clever. Neither Prince Qing nor the Zhenbei Army would fall for it, but the Yan King is fond of grand achievements and is arrogant, so he couldn't resist the temptation."

"Since that is the case, why haven't you conceded the game, Mister Chen?"

"Heh heh... Would Your Highness care to take another look?"

Prince Bai checked the board carefully again and suddenly noticed a small, inconspicuous corner where the outcome was still undecided.

"This place... I did overlook it. But with only a dozen or so points, I'm afraid you have no hope of turning the tables here, Mister Chen."

"The chess board is ever-changing; one only knows the outcome after the game is finished," the scholar surnamed Chen said with a smile.

Just then, a secret guard's report arrived from outside, and an urgent message was delivered.

Liao Meier hurriedly presented it to Prince Bai.

"Your Highness, it is a battle report from Sha Prefecture."

Prince Bai opened it and read it, his expression instantly turning cold. He slammed the letter onto the chessboard, sending the pieces scattering everywhere!

"Idiots! A bunch of complete idiots!"

"Why is Your Highness so angry?" the scholar asked.

"I ordered the army in Huanglong Prefecture of Sha Prefecture to keep an eye on the Zhenbei Army, but they left the city without authorization and were wiped out in one fell swoop!" Prince Bai said angrily.

"Oh? A fine move of feinting to the east while attacking the west. It seems the Zhenbei Army never intended to go to E Prefecture from the very beginning."

The scholar nodded appreciatively. "Lin Xiao is truly sharp-witted; he didn't fall for the trap."

"Hmph, now that Huanglong Prefecture has fallen into the hands of the Zhenbei Army, it looks like they intend to take advantage of the momentum to continue attacking other counties in Sha Prefecture."

"With the Earl of Anyang dead, Sha Prefecture has truly become a scattered mess. I must focus on dealing with the Cold Iron Guard and guarding against Prince Qing..."

Prince Bai said with a headache, "Mister Chen, you are my top advisor. What should we do next?"

The room fell silent.

Prince Bai looked at the scholar expectantly, and Liao Meier, standing to the side, also held her breath.

Chen Yanqiu was an inner disciple of the Academy and a former classmate of Prince Qing's chief strategist, Official Luo Wenfeng.

However, compared to famous scholars like the Imperial Academy doctor Official Luo Wenfeng, Chen Yanqiu was known as the "Poisonous Strategist" and was despised by the world!

This was because when he was young and serving as an official in the imperial court, the national treasury was empty, and the northern front was in a state of crisis.

Chen Yanqiu offered a strategy to the late Emperor: to mix diseased cattle and sheep into the grasslands and contaminate the water sources.

Months later, a plague broke out in the rear of the barbarian tribes, causing heavy casualties.

Although this eased the northern conflict, it also made the barbarians even more ferocious, and their slaughter of the common people became worse than before.

To appease public anger, the late Emperor threw Chen Yanqiu into prison and later exiled him three thousand li away.

Many understood that Chen Yanqiu was merely a scapegoat for the Emperor, but the fact that he could propose such a poisonous scheme was enough to make one's blood run cold.

"Your Highness, why do you think the Zhenbei Army has been cutting through the enemy like a hot knife through butter?"

"Naturally, it is because their combat strength is formidable. Lin Xiao has surprisingly high martial arts skills, many fierce generals under his command, and he also took in the Golden Scale Guard..."

Chen Yanqiu shook his head. "Not so. No matter how powerful Lin Xiao and those few hundred Golden Scale Guard are, how many people can he kill in a single battle? Hundreds? Thousands?"

"In most of the battles the Zhenbei Army has won, the opposing side collapsed in a rout. Even with tens of thousands more troops, they were essentially useless."

Prince Bai frowned. "Then what do you think is the reason, Mister?"

Chen Yanqiu smiled, dipped his finger in some tea, and wrote two words on the table...